Nasir-i-Khusraw visited the village in 1047 C.E., and described the place in his diary:

"To the southward [of Kafar Kannah] is a hill, on the top of which they have built a fine monastery. It has a strong gate, and the tomb of the prophet Yunis (Jonas) [..] is shown within. Near by the gate of the monastery is a well, and the water thereof is sweet and good. [..] Acre is 4 leagues distant.."[4]

Also Ali of Herat wrote that you could see the Makam of Jonas, and also the grave of his son, at Kafr Kanna.[4] This was repeated by Yaqut, who, however wrote of the tomb as being that of the father of Jonas.[4]

Around 1300 C.E Kafr Kanna was described as being a large village, in which lived the chiefs of various tribes. The head tribe is called Kais al Hamra (Kais the red). According to the cronicler, Al-Dimashqi, the district Buttauf, called "the Drowned Meadow", also belonged to the village.[4] Al-Dimashqi further remarked that the waters of the surrounding hills drained into the area, flooding it; as soon as the land is dried up grain was sown.[5]

Under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, the village flourished in the 16th century, as it lay on the trade route between Egypt and Syria. In 1596, Ottoman officials recorded the population as 475 Muslim households and 96 Jewish households, making it the 6th most populous locality in Palestine at the time.[6]

Demographics

As is the case with many other mixed Muslim-Christian towns in the region, the Christians generally tend to live in the oldest part of town. In Kafr Kanna - and in Kafr Yasif and 'Abud, among others - there are two ancient nuclei in the town: the earlier one where Christians live, and another (also hundreds of years old) where Muslims live.[9]

Sport

Maccabi Kafr Kanna currently play in Liga Artzit, the third tier of Israeli football, and have played at the second level in the past. Hapoel Kafr Kanna play in Liga Alef (the fourth tier), and Beitar Kafr Kanna play in Liga Bet (the fifth tier)